Sport Marvel: Steve Martinek

For most students in YU, finding time for athletics seems impossible. While many either participate in intramural sports or establish their own workout and fitness regimens, many others simply do not have extra time to devote to an organized team sport. Nevertheless, a number of students still manage to somehow fit serious team play into their busy schedules, and participate fully in Yeshiva athletics.

Amongst this handful of students exists another subset: those who maintain positions on not one, but two Yeshiva teams. Before even considering dual athletics, a member of a single team has enough challenges. For starters, practices often conflict with study times. Physical workouts leave players drained by the end of the day, making it difficult for them to do work when they finally get around to it. In addition, the need to perform on a steady basis may cause added pressure to an already stressed-out student. Now with that in mind, imagine playing for two teams. Now imagine playing for both the basketball and volleyball teams which practice a combined 16 hours a week. (This makes showing up to seasonal sports sound like no big deal – and yet several student-athletes consider this alone to be a difficult task.)

One of these trend-setting players is 19-year old freshman Steve Martinek, who has mastered this double-sport challenge as a member of the basketball and volleyball Macs in only his first year at YU. Born in Montreal and raised in Toronto, Steve first learned the fine art of team basketball at his local JCC. Once there, he met and trained with coaches who, according to Steve, are very much responsible for his athletic success till this day. Steve then went on to Mackenzie High School, where it did not take him long to become the starting point guard and star of the varsity team. By his junior year, he was already known throughout the league and was consequently named Junior MVP of Toronto, averaging 25 points, 8 assists, and 4 steals a game.

Looking for an out-of-town school that offered academic excellence in a Jewish environment, Steve chose to come to YU straight out of high school. He was also searching for good basketball competition, something that may be hard to find in Canada, but not at YU.

At the start of the semester, Steve crossed paths with a sport relatively new to him -- volleyball. Much to his surprise, he discovered an inclination toward the sport as well as a great deal of talent. His immense enjoyment of volleyball went so far that when team tryouts rolled around, Steve was faced with choosing between his true love, basketball, and his newly found interest, volleyball. Instead, Steve chose not to choose, and opted to go for both. He beat the odds, survived the cuts, and made both teams.

On the basketball front, Steve's stifling defense, blinding speed, and razzle-dazzle offense have earned him the backup point guard position, making him the Macs' secret weapon as the first man off the bench. On the volleyball end of the court, Steve has already developed the reputation of being one of the best setters in YU history.

The question remains, however, "How can somebody perform successfully on two teams and still manage to stay up to par academically?" When asked this question, Steve replied, "You make time. Sure it is tough, at the beginning there were times that I began to doubt myself, but if you want something bad enough you find a way." Steve has done just that. Aside from the rest of the week, Steve's practices run especially long on Monday and Wednesday nights, when he is in the gym from 7-10 PM. Only after showering off does he go study, which sometimes forces him to stay up until 4:30 AM. When asked if the late hours hamper his performance, Steve explained, "When I'm in the classroom, that's it, just the classroom. By practice I work hard and the coaches are very understanding. As for the games, by that time, its all adrenaline."

Those who excel in two sports know that similarities and differences between the two games can both aid and hinder a player's overall performance. With regards to the effects of one sport on the other, Steve noted that essential to both basketball and volleyball are quick starts and stops, and good hands. As for similarities, just as the point guard in basketball calls plays and directs traffic on the floor, so too the volleyball setter calls the plays while instructing his teammates where to stand and when to hit. Steve exclaimed, "The coaches have told me that basketball's point guard and volleyball's setter are both considered to be "the coach on the floor."

Steve also had what to say in terms of his expectations for both teams. In reference to volleyball, he commented, "we are working hard, and I have some high hopes for our team. We've got a lot of talent and play well together." His words on the basketball team were not that much different: "We have a good mix of veteran experience and developing youth. We've got one win under our belts, and we are shooting for more. In both volleyball and basketball, its all about teamwork. No one wants any heroes. We're just looking to play together to win." Overall, Steve could not be more pleased with the athletic department and school in general. The only thing that Steve wants to see more of is fan support.

YU athletics is an exciting part of the YU experience, and thus students are encouraged not only to root for their Macs at all home games, but to participate and be a part of the wider athletic world as well. Steve advises all those interested in athletics, "If you want it, go for it, and don't get discouraged. No matter what happens, keep at it. The will to win and the discipline required to get there are all you need."